When we first started Improvisation and Reflective Practice I believed I wouldn’t enjoy it because I’ve always struggled to improvise and always hated not having some kind of plan to my movement, however slowly over the module I have found myself enjoying some of the tasks. Even though I wouldn’t say I’m still totally comfortable with improvisation overall, I do find it easier to move within the space now. Particularly the tasks from the last two or three weeks when working with scores and different varieties of the scores available to us, I’ve found myself coming away from class feeling more positive about my progress.
I’ve found that my range has expanded greatly since starting this module and I think it’s because throughout we’ve had to challenge ourselves and how we’re comfortable moving. So although sometimes I’d start a task with habitual movement I would find myself expanding the movement I’m doing and working with one sequence for a longer period of time and playing around with different scenarios.
Looking back over the module I wished I’d worked harder at the start of the semester and been more motivated during class. I know I struggled to get myself working in class sometimes but it was because I was surrounding myself with negativity and always coming to class unprepared to work hard but as the semester progressed and I found myself being more positive I found it easier to enjoy the class and to work more outside the studio.
Improv has been a huge learning curve for me because I never realised just how much it could help develop my skills and performance as a dancer and was always narrow minded when I thought about it. I found improvising easier once I started enjoying the tasks more and being more open minded with what the class was about. Hopefully I take what I have learned this semester to improve my work over the next 3 years.